Tuason admits seeking help from Estrada

MANILA -- Potential state witness Ruby Tuason admitted that she sought the help of Senator Jinggoy Estrada while in the United States before she flew home and decided to testify on the pork barrel scam.

Estrada earlier said that Tuason sought for financial assistance back in October but Estrada turned him down.

Tuason said it was her "personal lithmus test" on the loyalties of the Estrada family. Tuason served as the social secretary of the senator's father, former President and now Manila Mayor Joseph "Erap" Estrada.

In her opening statement, Tuason said that while it is true that she does not want to spend her life in jail as she is also facing plunder charges before the Office of the Ombudsman, she chose to reveal what she knows "for the country."

"It would be hypocritical of me to say I was not motivated by commissions from Mrs. Napoles. I was. The mistake was grave and selfish. The decision haunts me with regret but my conscience can no longer take it. Between my friendship with the respondents and exposing the truth, I choose to prioritize the latter," Tuason said.

"All the things that I know are present in my affidavit. It was my personal decision to reveal them. I deleted nothing from what I know are the facts," she added.

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